Better Things
by aaronlisa
Summary: AU fic where instead of Rachel trying to get Finn back she accepts the break up. (Set during Season Two.)


Disclaimer: _Glee_ belongs to Ryan Murphy and company.

She's not the same girl that she was a year ago; she's not even the same girl she was a month ago. In a way, learning about Finn and Santana has changed her. Or more accurately her reaction to the knowledge that everyone else knew about Finn and Santana has caused her to change. The realization that she doesn't really like the person she'd become causes her to step back and to think about who she wants to be in life. And she decides that she doesn't want to be the female equivalent of Jesse St. James: completely arrogant and a jerk to boot.

Rachel Berry wants to be successful, she wants to see her name up in lights on a Broadway marquee but she doesn't want to have step on the only people she can consider her friends. So she takes a step back, realizes that what she had tried to do to get back at Finn for sleeping with Santana was wrong and there's nothing in this world that's going to make it better at this point. She's grateful that Puck had the clearer head and didn't let things get completely out of control.

When she turns down the solo, she knows that everyone's surprised and that they're probably thinking that it's because of her broken heart (she can see Puck's pitying look clearly) but in reality, Rachel's trying to do what's best for the group and that's giving someone else the chance to shine. It's hard for her at first because her fathers have always encouraged her to be the center of everything but Rachel actually enjoys watching Tina and Mercedes shine. And she even enjoys being out of the glare of the spotlight for once.

She can't quite promise that she'll always give up every single chance to take the lead but Rachel thinks that maybe be in the background is a good thing. After all, she has to accept the fact that when she finally gets out of Lima, Ohio and makes it to New York, she's not going to start out as a star. She's talented but even she knows that she's not _that_ talented.

When Santana tries to start something backstage, Rachel just gives her a look before she turns on her heel and walks out. She refuses to let Santana get the better of her anymore. Rachel's learned her lesson and she doesn't need a repeat of it now that she's lost Finn. It does hurt though the next day when she sees Santana fawning over Finn and she almost gives into the temptation of letting Puck comfort her. Yet she somehow manages to shake her head at Puck as she walks away from what appears to be the next super couple.

Later she'll cry in her pillow at home about how she foolishly let Santana won and how she lost Finn but for now she'll play her part, even if that means she has to put up with smirks from Quinn and Mercedes. What hurts far more than losing Finn is the fact that almost everyone in Glee club seems to be enjoying her supposed fall from grace. Although Rachel wants to tell them that she's actually happier than she's been in weeks.

She makes it through two whole weeks when a Monday finally rolls around and she's no longer the object of the club's smirks, pity or topic of discussion. They've accepted that for whatever reason Rachel's no longer behaving like she's some sort of diva and they've found a new source of gossip. What makes it all bearable is the fact that Puck and Kurt are both there for her. Every night, Kurt calls her up and they talk about everything. And Puck uses the ready excuse of needing her help with his homework for them to hang out together. And Rachel realizes that she'd much rather have friends like Puck and Kurt as opposed to the fake friendships she's had with everyone else in Glee club.

When Kurt transfers back, Rachel's the first person to know, even before Finn. Still when he enters the room with a smile on his face, it's Rachel who runs to him and hugs him. Everyone (but Puck) looks in shock when the two of them sit side by side as if they've always done so. When Mr. Schuester suggests a song for Rachel to sing, the entire club (except for Puck) seems to suck in their breath waiting for Kurt to get all upset until Rachel suggests that Kurt should sing it since he's back. Kurt, Rachel and Puck ignore the gasps of surprise when Kurt suggests that he and Rachel sing it together as a duet.

Rachel smiles at Kurt when he holds out his hand and pulls her up to the front of the group and they sing together. And when they're done, Rachel smirks at Santana. There's a part of her that wants to thank the other girl for everything that she's done. Santana had thought that it'd destroy Rachel but instead it's made her a better person.

((END))


End file.
